Do cheat meals help weight loss?

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  • Domicinator
    Domicinator Posts: 261 Member
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    kristen6350 wrote: »
    To lose weight right, in my opinion, you need to think of it not as cheating. Eating food isn't something you should be ashamed of. No food is good/bad. Learning to eat smaller amounts of what you love is what makes this long term. If you don't learn that, you'll lose weight, go on maintenance and go hog wild because you've deprived yourself of things you like for so long, and then gain the weight back. AKA Yo Yoing.

    So, invest in a food scale and a tub of your favorite ice cream. Put the bowl on the scale, measure out a serving, fit it into your day's worth of calories, enjoy. This is not considered "cheating" this is considered "life".

    This. x10.

    And I have to say, getting the food scale made this whole thing so much easier for me. Instead of counting stuff or trying to figure it out by cutting a portion I think is correct, I just throw it in a bowl, get it to the right weight on the scale, and eat it.

  • yogacat13
    yogacat13 Posts: 124 Member
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    I have one meal/day per week when I just don't worry about it. This helps me keep focused the rest of the week and allows me to have a stress-free date night meal out with my husband where I'm focused on us having a good time and not worried about adding up calories. It may slow my weight loss down a little, but it's worth it to me.
  • insearchofcheese
    insearchofcheese Posts: 45 Member
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    I think of my calories on a weekly basis instead of daily so that I can eat at or slightly above maintanance one day per week. The rest of the week, I eat less. Works for me.
  • Tedebearduff
    Tedebearduff Posts: 1,155 Member
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    tiffkittyw wrote: »
    Hi everyone, I've been a my fitness pal member for a long time but have never actually been consistent with logging my food. As a result, my weight has also been up and down and I've gained 20 pounds in the last year. My lab work was recently done and my TSH was a little high, but I can't blame my thyroid for my poor eating habits and inactivity. However, it does concern me a bit that I will now struggle with losing the 44 pounds I hope to lose.

    I have heard different things regarding cheat meals and that they help you stay on track with your diet the rest of the week since you will always have something to look forward to. What are your thoughts?

    It's a personal choice, do what works for you
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
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    yogacat13 wrote: »
    I have one meal/day per week when I just don't worry about it. This helps me keep focused the rest of the week and allows me to have a stress-free date night meal out with my husband where I'm focused on us having a good time and not worried about adding up calories. It may slow my weight loss down a little, but it's worth it to me.

    Sounds like a very healthy approach :)
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
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    tiffkittyw wrote: »
    I have heard different things regarding cheat meals and that they help you stay on track with your diet the rest of the week since you will always have something to look forward to. What are your thoughts?

    I agree with this. I don't actually do "cheat meals", but I do eat pretty low calorie during the week so that I can have higher calorie weekends. I really hated when I tried to stick to a calorie goal on the weekends. I could never do that for long.
  • yogacat13
    yogacat13 Posts: 124 Member
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    PinkPixiexox wrote: »
    yogacat13 wrote: »
    I have one meal/day per week when I just don't worry about it. This helps me keep focused the rest of the week and allows me to have a stress-free date night meal out with my husband where I'm focused on us having a good time and not worried about adding up calories. It may slow my weight loss down a little, but it's worth it to me.

    Sounds like a very healthy approach :)

    thank you :)
  • tiffkittyw
    tiffkittyw Posts: 366 Member
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    After my first week of trying to improve my diet and start exercising I've come to the conclusion that I need to have that one night a week to eat out with my husband. Like what was previously stated if my weight loss slows it is still worth it to me. It's a lifestyle change and I can't just eat healthy every day for the rest of my life, that just isn't realistic for me.
  • XavierNusum
    XavierNusum Posts: 720 Member
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    tiffkittyw wrote: »
    After my first week of trying to improve my diet and start exercising I've come to the conclusion that I need to have that one night a week to eat out with my husband. Like what was previously stated if my weight loss slows it is still worth it to me. It's a lifestyle change and I can't just eat healthy every day for the rest of my life, that just isn't realistic for me.

    It isn't ralistic for most poeple. You are the rule not the exception.

    I, personally, am an advocate for the rule Jillian Michaels pushes, 80/20. 80% of what you eat everyday should be "clean" and 20% DAILY should be just stuff you like to eat. Overall you should stay within your goals. When you minimize the restriction you are happier in general.

    It is about a lifestyle, a LIFE-style. You want to have dinners with your spouse, family get togethers or holiday parties. That's a part of life. You should, YOU ARE able to enjoy your life and still live a healthy life.
  • Mezzie1024
    Mezzie1024 Posts: 380 Member
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    I'm another one who doesn't like the word "cheat." I do have regular maintenance days and occasional maintenance weeks. My weight loss remains steady (though slow, which I'm happy with), and I don't feel deprived.
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
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    Mezzie1024 wrote: »
    I'm another one who doesn't like the word "cheat." I do have regular maintenance days and occasional maintenance weeks. My weight loss remains steady (though slow, which I'm happy with), and I don't feel deprived.

    I love the idea of maintenance days :)
    I might try this once a month or so.
  • firststepformefal
    firststepformefal Posts: 180 Member
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    My personality type is that a cheat meal just sets me up for a binge. It then takes several days to get back on track. In the meantime I have gained weight. It is best for me to not have cheat meals. If you can have the cheat meal, and get back on track, you can probably use it, as long as you stay under calories for the week. If not, it would be best for you to not have it.
  • mumblemagic
    mumblemagic Posts: 1,090 Member
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    I also don't like the word cheat....

    I would say that while "cheat" meals don't help the physical side of weight loss as they tend to contain lots of yummy calories, they do help the psychological side and help you stay on the diet for longer. So by and large, I am +1 for the cheat meals.

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